In secret talks, US offers pardon to Venezuela's Maduro in return for stepping down: Report

As Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro clutches on to his power despite many claiming that the country’s election did not sway his way, reports are emerging that the United States is pursuing a bid to push him out of power by offering amnesty. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Washington has discussed pardons for Maduro and top lieutenants who are facing indictments in the US Department of Justice.

Three people familiar with the matter told WSJ, that the Biden administration has “put everything on the table” to persuade Maduro to leave before his term ends in January. It is pertinent to note that back in 2020, the US placed a $15 million bounty for information leading to Maduro’s arrest. The Venezuelan leader was accused of conspiring with his allies to flood the US with cocaine.

The news flickers hope for the opposition in the Latin American who nation collected voter tallies that indicate its candidate, little-known former diplomat Edmundo González, defeated Maduro in a landslide in the July 28 election.

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The back-and-forth

According to the sources, so far, the talks have been conducted virtually between Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s congress and a Maduro confidant, and Daniel P. Erikson, who is responsible for America’s policy towards Venezuela at the White House National Security Council. The officials also revealed that it wouldn’t force Western oil companies to leave Venezuela as well.

However, it is pertinent to note that this is not the first time the US has pursued such an initiative to take Maduro down. Washington had made an amnesty offer to Maduro during secret talks in Doha last year. But the Venezuelan president declined to discuss any such arrangements which would mean that he had to leave office.

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In the past, Maduro has said that he’s open to talks as long as Washington shows him respect. At other times, he told the US to mind its own business. “Don’t mess with Venezuela’s internal affairs, that’s all I ask for,” the autocratic leader said in a news conference Friday. According to WSJ, the three most populous South American nations, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia are also involved in trying to resolve the standoff.

Hence, the US now has five months before Venezuela’s presidential inauguration to pull off a deal.